Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Sateliot, Vodacom, GTA, Elveo Mobile, GangaFiber, among others.
Sateliot Adds Five Satellites to Expand 3GPP 5G NTN IoT Network
Sateliot is adding five satellites to its low-Earth-orbit 5G NTN constellation aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission. The Draconis deployment will increase Sateliot’s cumulative launches to 11 satellites and is designed to increase connection frequency for IoT devices operating outside terrestrial mobile coverage. The satellites function as cellular towers in space and use 3GPP Release 17 NTN, allowing standard NB-IoT NTN devices to connect without proprietary satellite hardware. Sateliot says its longer-term constellation will contain more than 500 satellites, evolving from massive IoT toward higher-capacity and mission-critical services. The company plans next-generation Tritó satellites in 2027, introducing 5G NR direct-to-device capabilities as the network moves toward closer integration with conventional mobile operators.
Vodacom Tests Dual-Band Massive MIMO for 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz 5G Capacity
Vodacom Group has tested a compact Nokia antenna architecture in South Africa that integrates passive antennas and active Massive MIMO equipment at existing mobile sites. The Western Cape trial supports dual-band Massive MIMO across 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz, allowing Vodacom to increase 4G and 5G capacity while making better use of constrained tower space. Combining multiple radio and antenna functions within a more compact structure can reduce tower loading and avoid extensive structural modifications when operators add spectrum or capacity. This is particularly relevant for mature urban sites where physical space has become a deployment constraint. The technology gives Vodacom another option for network densification and capacity expansion without requiring entirely new tower locations for each additional radio layer.
GTA and Elveo Complete Satellite-to-Mobile LTE SMS Trial in Guam
GTA and Elveo Mobile have completed an end-to-end demonstration of LTE SMS connectivity through a satellite network in Guam. A conventional mobile device connected to an LTE network through Elveo’s satellite infrastructure and successfully transmitted and received SMS messages across the complete satellite and terrestrial-network path. The trial was designed to determine whether satellite infrastructure can complement GTA’s terrestrial mobile footprint in locations where conventional cellular coverage is limited or unavailable. Importantly, the demonstration used standard LTE technology rather than requiring a separate satellite handset. Guam’s island geography makes resilient non-terrestrial communications particularly relevant for remote coverage and disaster recovery. The next development path could involve broader satellite-enabled mobile services as standards-based direct-to-device technology matures.
GangaFiber Targets 150,000 Homes Through New Uttar Pradesh Broadband Network
Project GANGA has begun commercial GangaFiber broadband deployment across Uttar Pradesh in partnership with OneOTT Intertainment. The state-backed programme has attracted more than 3,000 applications from prospective Digital Service Providers since June, with over 600 candidates already completing training. The first local networks are now being deployed with financial assistance through the CM-YUVA programme. Collectively, trained service providers have the potential to connect as many as 150,000 homes. GangaFiber offers broadband from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps, creating a distributed model for extending high-speed fixed connectivity into smaller cities and communities. Instead of relying solely on a large operator’s direct retail rollout, the architecture uses locally operated broadband networks supported by common infrastructure, training and financing to accelerate last-mile expansion.